The Company was established in
1949 at Karachi
with head office at 260 R. A. Lines, by the families of Mr. Minocher Dinshaw
and Mr. Godrej Kandawalla. Mr. Eddie Minocher Dinshaw was the Managing Director
from its inception. The company commenced operation by plying their ships
between Karachi / Chittagong / Chalna.
The first vessel Binfiled was
purchased but was sold very shortly without registering. Then a coal fired
steamship was purchased which was named “Ocean Endeavour I” which after plying
for some years was sold subsequently in sixties.
In mid fifties there was shortage
of coal and the company arranged to charter several vessels on behalf of the
Government of Pakistan to transport coal for Karachi
/ Chittagong from China .
After 1971 the company continued
to ply their vessels abroad by chartering to foreign companies. At the time of
nationalization the company had the following vessels.
Ø
Ocean Energy … Built 1953
Ø
Ocean Endurance … Built 1966
Ø
Ocean Endeavour … Built 1965
The company
also owned Old Ralli Building Talpur Road , Off I.I.
Chundrigar Road., Karachi which was
also taken over
by the Government after nationalization of shipping in 1974. This building
has covered area of 9,856 square meters.
What happened to TOSSCO? And the "Ocean Energy"? I sailed on her a few times. Have many fond memories ....
ReplyDeleteI do not know anything about TOSSCO but I saw "Ocean Energy" back in 1969 at Karachi harbour. It was a beautiful ship and quite modern as compared to "Chittagong City" of "Chittagong Steamship Co". It was handed over to PNSC in 1974 and was probably scrapped few years later.
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